Two members of the Hells Angels have been sentenced to prison terms of four and seven years their involvement in criminal activities associated with the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HASC).
Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp announced that the sentencing was carried out by United States District Judge Edward M. Chen.
Jeremy Greer, a former HASC member aged 43, received a prison term of 84 months for his violent actions within the HASC racketeering conspiracy.
Merl Hefferman, 54, a member of the Fresno Hells Angels, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for obstruction of justice. Hefferman played a role in arranging the illegal cremation of Joel Silva, a former HASC member murdered by Fresno Hells Angels president Brian Wendt, along with HASC president Jonathan Nelson and former HASC president Russell Ott.
The murder occurred at the Fresno Hells Angels clubhouse, and Hefferman facilitated the incineration of Silva’s body shortly after the killing. Wendt, Nelson, and Ott were convicted by a jury of Silva’s murder in 2022 and await sentencing by Judge Chen.
“The Hells Angels murdered one of their own, and Hefferman helped them try to get away with it. But for the dedicated efforts of FBI Task Force Officers and Special Agents, particularly officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, they would have succeeded. Greer and other Hells Angels followed a malicious code of conduct, encouraging the beating, maiming, and even killing of anyone who dared to cross their criminal enterprise,” U.S. Attorney Ramsey said. “The defendants now face the consequences of their violent racketeering activities.”
“The Hells Angels murdered one of their own, and Hefferman helped them try to get away with it. But for the dedicated efforts of FBI Task Force Officers and Special Agents, particularly officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, they would have succeeded. Greer and other Hells Angels followed a malicious code of conduct, encouraging the beating, maiming, and even killing of anyone who dared to cross their criminal enterprise,” Ramsey added. “The defendants now face the consequences of their violent racketeering activities.”
These recent sentencings bring the total number of sentenced defendants to five out of 10 convictions.
The investigation into HASC originated from Silva’s disappearance in 2014, resulting in an indictment in 2017 and a superseding indictment in 2018.
Charges against 11 members and associates of HASC included racketeering conspiracy and various violent crimes linked to the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, such as Silva’s murder, narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, illegal firearms possession, obstruction of justice, and witness intimidation.
The 2022 trial focused on Silva’s murder, while the 2023 trial led to the conviction of Christopher Ranieri, President of the Salem charter of the Hells Angels, and Raymond Foakes, former President of HASC.
